Congratulations Valerie Huber, Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor to the Asst. Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States

In June, Valerie Huber, co-founder and long-standing President/CEO of Ascend, was … Read the rest

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Dr. Freda Bush: October 2017

Congratulations Valerie Huber, Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor to the Asst. Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States

In June, Valerie Huber, co-founder and long-standing President/CEO of Ascend, was appointed by President Donald Trump to join the team at the US Department of Health & Human Services. Nevertheless, we consider this appointment to be an opportunity even greater to promote optimal health for all of America’s youth and young adults. What an honor for one of our own to serve the people of the United States in this capacity! Valerie has served on the MI Advisory Board for a number of years and has made valuable contributions promoting and strengthening the teaching of Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRA).

Under Valerie’s able leadership, Ascend has advanced SRA education as a standard for the health and well-being of youth – a standard that Ascend will continue to support and grow so that all youth have the opportunity to thrive. Teens should be well informed so they can make the best decisions for their sexual health. The evidence is clear: even if teens avoid pregnancy, the ability to thrive now and in the future is more complicated when they have sex. MaryAnn Mosack, NAEA’s National Director State Initiatives, is the new Executive Director of Ascend and will continue as Lead Trainer of the SRA Trainings.

The reality of Valerie’s appointment further stresses the importance for each of us to be engaged at the local and national levels so our concerns and ideas are voiced and heard. This appointment makes all of us full of hope and poised for new opportunities to really effect change for optimal wellness and health. Already, the new administration has increased funding for SRA education not merely for pregnancy prevention. Science supports the public health model that sexual health information should always begin with a strong, realistic and practical optimal risk avoidance message. Social science research confirms that waiting for sex, preferably until marriage, is the optimal health message.

Let us pray for wisdom and guidance for all elected and appointed officials in the United States. Please pray for Valerie for wisdom, support, and encouragement in her new role. Know that Valerie will work for all Americans.

If you have teenage girls in your life, or if you have been one yourself, you are already aware that most teen girls would like to change … Read the rest

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Teen Girls are Seeking Genital Cosmetic Surgery

Medical Institute Science Staff: September 2017

If you have teenage girls in your life, or if you have been one yourself, you are already aware that most teen girls would like to change something about their physical appearance. With the affluence of American life, many teen girls actually have the opportunity to make changes with cosmetic surgeries. Nose jobs, breast augmentation and ear- pinnings, are no longer out of reach for many adolescents, especially older ones. More recently, teens are becoming unhappy with the appearance of their female genitalia, especially the labia minora, and some are going as far as having cosmetic surgical procedures to conform to what they perceive as a more desirable appearance.

In the year 2016 in the U.S., over 500 girls under the age of 19 underwent surgical procedures to change their vaginal labia. This is 100 more girls than in 2015 and 278 more than in 2014, representing a definite upward trend. 1 These numbers are not complete, because they do not include the procedures performed by gynecologists, but only plastic surgeons. What could be driving this desire to change such an intimate part of the body?

How many vulvas or vaginas has a teen girl actually seen to compare herself with? How does she know what is a desirable look? The online magazine SELF quotes Dr. Jennifer Wilder as saying, “Girls in this generation…see airbrushed images, they see pornography, and think they should look a certain way or worry that their partners want them to look a certain way – it’s totally unhealthy.”2

Allure magazine quotes Paquita de Zulueta, MD as saying, “Their perception is that the inner lips should be invisible, almost like a Barbie.”3 Indeed, “The Barbie Labiaplasty” is one of the most popular designer vagina procedures! And Quartz media describes the Barbie like this, “The Barbie Labiaplasty involves almost completely removing the inner lips of the vulva, and possibly reducing the outer lips as well. The result, as its website describes it, is a “smooth look” that is “tight and petite” with a “streamlined appearance.”4

To get the “Barbie Look”, adolescent patients are subjecting themselves to a surgical procedure with possible serious side effects such as pain, painful scarring, swelling, bruising, infection and pain with intercourse.5 Additionally, there have been no long term studies to determine what effects the surgery may have on the young woman in the future. Labiaplasty may be performed either with local or general anesthesia, which has another set of risks associated with it. Urologist and plastic surgeon Gary Alter, M.D. is reported to have said that 20% of his labiaplasties are to rectify mistakes made by other surgeons.6

Reportedly, there are reasons other than cosmetic, for teens to seek out labiaplasty. The SELF magazine article quotes a Board-certified ob/gyn, Pari Ghodsi, MD, saying, “Some women have labia that are significantly elongated and it can get in the way of exercise – causing chafing and irritation.”2 However, a survey of current articles overwhelmingly sites the desire for a “designer vagina” as the most common reason for teen vaginaplasty.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a Committee Opinion on both Breast and Labial Surgery in Adolescents from the Committee on Adolescent Health Care. In essence the Opinion encourages physicians to offer alternatives to surgery while educating the teen about normal variations in anatomy. The doctor is also encouraged to assess the patient for “body dysmorphic disorder” and to refer such patients to mental health professionals.5

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons provides a “Briefing Paper: Plastic Surgery for Teenagers” that states that parental consent is required for all plastic surgery procedures performed on teens younger than 18 years old. The paper goes on to state that the teenager should initiate the request and repeat their desire for the plastic surgery over a period of time and that the teen should be able to show that they have realistic expectations about how the surgery will benefit them.7

Are parents giving permission for their daughters to have labiaplasty, so they can look like porn stars? This researcher finds that more disturbing than desires and decisions coming from an adolescent brain. Moms and Dads are the ones who should be reassuring their daughters that they are beautifully and uniquely made with genitals designed for a loving relationship with a forever husband, who will delight in the one made just for him.

Grace McLaren is a trainer, speaker, and personal coach serving professionals as well as youth and adults for personal development coaching

Why in this world would anyone of us choose to dwell at the appetizer table or suffer from famine … Read the rest

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Grace McLaren is a trainer, speaker, and personal coach serving professionals as well as youth and adults for personal development coaching

Why in this world would anyone of us choose to dwell at the appetizer table or suffer from famine when there is a glorious feast of amazing intimacy with reliable, fun sex waiting for us? I am referring to the most amazing relationship one could ever imagine with closeness, friendship, great communication and yes, astounding sex. This kind of relationship can be enjoyed at “feast” level or can suffer at “appetizer or famine” levels! We will come to realize that this relationship does not just occur. It is built on the irrefutable life formula: Every CHOICE is a POTENTIAL HABIT that affects LIFESTYLE.

We can’t be bashful about sex anymore because sex is so prolific in the world and it is eating up our children and throwing them onto a table of famine. We have to be able to talk about sex with our children and let them know that feasting at the table of intimacy is what they really want and need. In order to choose feast over appetizer or famine in relationships/intimacy/sex, we must embrace the greatest challenge we all have by silencing all distractions and actually pondering our life vision for relationships by answering the following questions:

Do you want to be married, single or divorced?

Do you want to have STD or not?

Do you want to be pregnant before or after marriage?

Do you want to have difficulty getting pregnant or not?

DO you want to enjoy your sex life or not?

Do you want to enjoy an amazing relationship with your life partner or not?

Do you want to be emotionally stable or not?

Remember: This is your feast! And you are deserving of your vision! There is no greater gift for anyone at any age than to ponder and declare your own vision and then ask every day:

Am I ON my vision or OFF my vision!

As with any vision, we have to rely on one thing to get us there: ENERGY. No matter what vision you have while you are reading this article, you are using energy to read it. To ensure energy is managed well in attaining vision, I have categorized energy into three areas:

Dark Child Chip: This “chip”/energy declares: “I want what I want, when I want it, the way I want it”! It is concerned with only one thing: Immediate gratification! It does not care about the long-term effect of the choice, it does not care about the “feast level” of your vision. It is not interested in listening to other’s input/correction/thoughts. It is fully self-absorbed in the moment of “feel good”. Many visions of having grand sex are destroyed through this energy. This “chip” will take you OFF your vision and leave you in a state of famine with no regard. As long as the immediate “appetizer”/need it met, it is happy.

Light Child Chip: This “chip”/energy declares: “I want what I want, when I want it, the way I want it, but the choice must be supportive and in alignment of the vision. It is not destructive to the vision. It understands the concept of joy and abundance and lives confidently that this “feast” is readily available. It enjoys what nurtures the soul and vision. It enjoys living ON vision.

Parent Chip: This “chip”/energy” declares: Hold off! Just wait one second! Let me check the vision before you go jumping into this choice! This “chip” recognizes all the choices available, but is able to discern the ones that are supportive of the vision defined and ones that are destructive of the vision defined. The critical words noted in equipping the parent to guide are “vision defined”! The better the vision is defined, the more equipped the parent chip is in guiding you through choices. This chip assesses the choice against the vision and then declared: APPROVED or DENIED based on the question: Will this choice put me ON my vision or take me OFF my vision?

One final note that needs to be clarified on energy is the irrefutable formula:

For every CHOICE is a POTENTIAL HABIT that affects LIFESTYLE.

Energy allows us to make choices. The “dark child chip” says: As long as it feels good and it appears to be my vision, it’s okay to do. But, the problem is the trajectory of that choice is often times destructive to the vision. You get to enjoy the “appetizer” of your vision, but you will usually end up living in famine. If the Parent Chip is in charge and the choice goes through that chip, then the light child takes over and vision is fulfilled and there is a feast of a vision waiting for you!

We also have to respect that we are living in a world of immediate gratification. If you want it, you just call out to “Alexa” and she will fetch it, play it or get it done for you immediately. The world has provided a pill to answer almost any problem for sleep, anxiety, attention, sex and more. Yes, the world has given all the erroneous thought that you can be sexually fulfilled by touching a button or having a “quickie” with the drunkest person in the room. If your vision is to enjoy the feast, you need to know: You are in contradiction to the world view of sex. It’s appeal is to the “dark child chip” to get you to leave the “feast and to go the appetizer table that leads to famine.

With that said, let’s assess some of the choices available to attain your vision:

Enjoying amazing, gloriously grand, great intimacy/sex and relationship with my spouse. In my early days before marriage, my vision was the same except I would add: STD Free, pregnancy after marriage, ease in getting pregnant, no divorce, single marriage.

Then, I walk every choice through the life formula and learn which “chip” tends to take the lead with each choice and if it will lead me to be on my vision or off my vision.

Choice

Habit

Lifestyle

Energy/”Chip” in Charge/ On or Off Vision

Pornography

Longing for sex, punch a button, hand becomes your friend and immediate for “feelings” of intimacy are met, but it is all staged, it is a lie

Lack of confidence in sexual activity due to challenge in duplicating what was viewed, inability to enjoy sex due to erectile dysfunction, lack of ability to enjoy full relationships with the opposite sex

DARK CHILD CHIP and no PARENT CHIP

OFF VISION as defined

Multiple Sexual Partners

Seeking a person who is willing to have sex rather than a person who is best for you, immediate need for sex is met, followed by increased feeling of abandonment, risk of STD/pregnancy

Broken relationships as the relationship is based more on sex than on each other and on the skill of enjoying one another and working through problems

DARK CHILD CHIP and no PARENT CHIP

Off VISION as defined above

Dating without sex

Developing the skills to build a strong relationship, to wisely choose partners you like and with whom spending time, delayed sexual needs, immediate relationship needs met

Enjoying full relationship with full knowledge of not only how to have fun, but to also communicate and resolve problems

PARENT CHIP and LIGHT CHIP

ON VISION as defined above

Grand Sex with Single Partner – Marriage

Establishing a relationship that is well balanced to eventually include amazing sex in which the partners are committed to mutual joy, delayed sexual needs, immediate relationship needs met

Partners working together on their vision board for intimacy to include sex, cuddling, touch, talk and more!

PARENT CHIP and LIGHT CHILD CHIP

ON VISION as defined above

The world tries to portray most “appetizers” as a “feast”. Many “appetizers” leave you empty and longing for more and risking your living a famine-filled life suffering with STD’s, difficulties in getting pregnant, difficulties in relationships, emotional upheaval, divorce, pornography/sexual addictions, brokenness, emptiness and more. But, when armed with a clearly defined vision of what you want in relationships, your challenge is to move to your “parent chip” and assess the formula of that choice up against habit and potential lifestyle and compare that projected lifestyle against your “feast” of a vision.

It is time to claim that the world is presenting a lie to us with so many empty choices. We can and have a right to be all we aim to be and have all we aim to have when we declare it in a vision, and align our energy and choices to support that vision and claim our seat at the feast of our vision.

“I’m thinking about having sex,” says the young man or woman. The thought may have been thought and acted upon with little time in between. Or the thought may have been … Read the rest

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President’s Corner for June 2017

Dr. Freda M. Bush

“I’m thinking about having sex,” says the young man or woman. The thought may have been thought and acted upon with little time in between. Or the thought may have been meditated upon for months with external pressure from a friend or the media.

Recently, talking to a 15 y/o girl, I learned she was still a virgin. When I inquired why she was not sexually active, she said she has been approached by many male friends who first want to know her “body count.” “Body count” meaning how many bodies she had sex with. When she says zero, they want to know “What’s wrong with you?” She says she then asks them about their body count. The answer is usually in the “teens” however, she has had some in the 20’s and 30’s. She then asks them the same question, “What’s wrong with you?” She says she doesn’t want that much traffic going through her body or her mind. She wants to save sex for marriage, for that one person who will value her and the love she has to give. She also wants someone who will love and value her uniqueness. She doesn’t want someone who will be comparing her to multiple other girls.

Nevertheless, MI would like to be the “go-to” resource for information about the consequences of sex: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Especially for sexual initiation, MI would like to be the clear medically accurate resource on an easily understood level. What if? Why not?

MI has provided resources to teens via brochures, videos and a video series on the internet titled “Guidance Needed!” Sasha, the teen star, had a problem. Her boyfriend told her she couldn’t get pregnant if she had sex in a swimming pool, so she had sex in a swimming pool. However, when she missed her cycle the anxiety was “on”. Without advertising, the number of followers of the video began to double weekly with many writing in to give Sasha advice. Many more expressed their anxiety and told similar tales. The series then progressed to include relationship issues and issues with STI’s. MI was able to insert medically accurate information on STIs, pregnancy and relationships to make the series meaningful and educational. The series was well received and beneficial based on the responses, but was eventually “corrupted” by spam and had to be removed from the internet.

MI is still providing medically accurate resources to teens and their parents, other parenting adults, educators, social workers, counselors and adult youth workers who care about our youth and their futures. Among the many resources are the “Had The Talk?” monograph series for adults with information on how to talk to teens about sex and relationships; “Sex Is Not a Game” video for teens on STI’s and relationships. MI also provides numerous brochures like, “Why Abstinence?”, “It’s OK to Say No,” “What If I Could Start Over?” and “The Condom”.

MI is here for you. We care about the future of all our children and young adults. Won’t you join with us to help young people make wise decisions about sexual behavior? At this point in time, MI is exclusively funded by private donations. Please consider investing in the sexual health of our young people by donating today.

]]>IN THE NEWS: The Sexual Behavior Known as Stealthinghttps://www.medinstitute.org/2017/05/in-the-news-the-sexual-behavior-known-as-stealthing/
https://www.medinstitute.org/2017/05/in-the-news-the-sexual-behavior-known-as-stealthing/#commentsThu, 18 May 2017 13:50:37 +0000https://www.medinstitute.org/?p=542692

MI Science Staff: May 2017

The latest definition of “stealthing” involves a sexual behavior in which a condom is removed during the sex act without the knowledge or consent of the sexual partner. Although the practice itself is not new, … Read the rest

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MI Science Staff: May 2017

The latest definition of “stealthing” involves a sexual behavior in which a condom is removed during the sex act without the knowledge or consent of the sexual partner. Although the practice itself is not new, stealthing has reached newsworthy proportions, with major newspapers and television newscasts picking up the story. This dangerous and deceitful practice of “stealthing” is one more reason for our young people to avoid casual sexual encounters and to learn to build healthy relationships.

Alexandra Drodsky has published a paper in the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law entitled, “Rape-Adjacent”: Imagining Legal Responses to nonconsensual condom Removal.” Drodsky prefers the term “nonconsensual condom removal” over the term “stealthing”. She states that “nonconsensual condom removal is a harmful and often gender-motivated form of sexual violence”.1 Drodsky’s paper explores the legal options for victims of the practice and concludes that a more specific law should be passed for the offense.

The big question is why is stealthing popular? Most of the articles that we found on this subject mention online forums that contain conversations by stealthers that are based in “misogyny and investment in male sexual supremacy.” However, all of the articles quote the same source, which is the article by Alexandra Brodsky and also note that the online forums have now been removed from the internet. In no way are we refuting Ms. Brodsky’s article, but we are simply noting that we could not find other sources that either refute or support her findings. Brodsky states that even when the victim is another man, it is still male superiority at the root, with men insisting they have the right to “spread their seed.”1

An older online article on “stealthing” can be found at CondomDepot.com and is dated May 13, 2014. Interestingly, this article expands the practice to “someone strategically damaging a condom before intercourse”, as well as the nonconsensual removal of the condom.2 This article gives the example of women who are trying to get pregnant by poking holes in condoms. The motivation may be to mother the child of a celebrity or perhaps to get a husband as well as a father for the child.

The Condom Depot.com article also mentions the illegal action of purposefully spreading HIV by HIV positive people (POZ) who find some type of gratification through spreading the virus. The following is a quote from the article:

In the POZ scene, some “bug chasers” and/or members of the “bareback brotherhood” engage in unprotected anal sex with the end goal of successful HIV transmission to a negative person.2

Also included in the article are suggestions on how to avoid stealthing. Suggestions include bringing your own condoms, especially brightly colored ones that one can visually check to see that they are still in place, and having the partner ejaculate outside of the body.

At the Medical Institute, we recognize that condoms at their best, do not completely protect against pregnancy or the spread of sexually transmitted infections. As well, we recognize that deception and evil intent are not limited to the practice of “stealthing”. We encourage all to protect their bodies, as well as their emotions by limiting sexual behavior to a long-term monogamous relationship, such as marriage, in which both parties are disease free.

MI recently completed a two and a half day Building Family Connections (BFC) Curriculum training in Natchez, MS. The BFC program trains facilitators to teach parenting adults how to talk to their children about sex. There … Read the rest

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Dr. Freda M. Bush

MI recently completed a two and a half day Building Family Connections (BFC) Curriculum training in Natchez, MS. The BFC program trains facilitators to teach parenting adults how to talk to their children about sex. There were 30 in attendance including teachers, social workers, nurses, pastors, and church youth workers.

The picture shows the class on the steps of the gazebo in front of the mighty Mississippi River and across the street from the historic Natchez Grand Hotel. A little known historical fact about the City of Natchez is that it was the only major city in MS that was not burned by Union soldiers during the Civil War. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant spared it because of its beauty.

Comments and evaluations from the participants about the training indicated they were equally appreciative of the lessons taught and the skills learned. All expressed the value of the opportunity to be creative in their “teach back” practicum presentations at the end. Additional comments included…”I’m leaving feeling empowered and encouraged to make a difference in our community”. “Great and useful information. I personally learned a lot.” “I appreciate the medical and scientific information provided.” “Effective communication and decision making was vital since it affects poverty prevention.”

MI would like to extend an invitation to as many as possible to attend a BFC Curriculum Training to empower you to positively affect the families and lives of our future generations. The next training is August 16-18 in Jackson, MS.

My father was a Baptist preacher, and he used to quote Scripture to us often to teach us life lessons. All nine of us had one memorized from his mouth, and that was Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a … Read the rest

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Genital Herpes

My father was a Baptist preacher, and he used to quote Scripture to us often to teach us life lessons. All nine of us had one memorized from his mouth, and that was Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Then he would sometimes elaborate and say that meant we were to be “God fearing, law abiding and independent of him.” He taught us many things, including to be studious, courteous, respectful and hard working. Sometimes when he felt it necessary to make a point, he would use hand gestures or enlist the “rod of correction.” My mother gave us the conversations about sex, and they were short. “If you get pregnant, or get a girl pregnant, you will get married. So don’t date anyone you wouldn’t want to marry.” I do not ever recall our having a conversation about sexually transmitted infections, although there were only two back then: gonorrhea and syphilis.

As the parents of three daughters and one son, my husband and I were very interested in raising our children with the same principles and work ethics. We too taught them how to have healthy relationships with adults and their peers. But our conversation had to expand to include avoiding more problems associated with sexual activity and the more than 25 STD s.

Last month MI’s science article focused on genital herpes which is caused by the herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 or HSV-2. HSV-1 has traditionally been considered the cause of oral herpes, also known as “fever blisters” or “cold sores.” HSV-2 has traditionally been considered the cause of genital herpes. Recent research, however, has shown that both types can, and frequently do, cause genital herpes. In the past, physicians were not too concerned about patients having “fever blisters” on their lips. But now that we know HSV-1 can also infect the genital region, physicians are concerned about “fever blisters” causing a genital herpes infection on the person receiving the oral sex.

Herpes infection is so common for two reasons: 1) There is no cure; therefore, once people are infected they are infected for life. Yes, certain medicines can help reduce the length of the outbreaks of genital ulcers or limit the number of outbreaks, but the virus itself remains in the body. 2) Often the virus is spread before and without the infected person even being aware of it.

A person who becomes infected can feel that a sexual partner has violated a trust. “The person who infected me must have known he had herpes but didn’t bother to tell me.” Actually, this may or may not be true. Some infected people do not know they are infected, though, of course, many do. Even so, infected people must deal with the fact that they can infect any future sexual partners, including any “hookups,” but they can also infect their spouses or children.

In my gynecology practice it is not uncommon to obtain the history of many young patients that includes prior sexually transmitted infections (STIs) of chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV and herpes. Upon inquiry they respond nonchalantly as if it’s just a fact of occurrence. But many women, when they learned they had HSV, felt that their partners didn’t warn them or give them the option to decide whether to take the risk of having sex with them. They immediately express anger and hurt and disappointment. Often they say, “He should have told me and given me the choice of whether to take the risk or not.” When they calm down and we begin to plan or discuss their future sexual activity with HSV, there is a strained silence as they ask themselves: Would I have said yes to sex with him with or without a condom? Was our relationship without sex that meaningful? Was sex with him that valuable?

Ultimately they generally say, “I would think I would treat someone the way I would have wanted to be treated—even at the risk that the relationship would end.” It also lets you know how valuable you are to the person if they say, “Let’s wait for sex,” but they want to continue dating.

Fortunately today there is hope for future relationships with suppressive medications and a change in lifestyle. You don’t have to end a relationship because someone has an STI. I say the person inside the body is the one you should love or care about. Get to know the person inside the body and determine over time whether the relationship should continue or progress deeper to a commitment in marriage; then get married before becoming sexually intimate. Even a young person who has previously engaged in sexual activity can change their behavior and return to a lifestyle of avoiding sexual risks. A life free of the burden of sexual consequences is worth the wait!

]]>Screening for Genital Herpes is Still Not Recommended for People Without Symptomshttps://www.medinstitute.org/2017/03/screening-for-genital-herpes-is-still-not-recommended/
Mon, 06 Mar 2017 14:56:56 +0000https://www.medinstitute.org/?p=2224

Science Staff: March 2017

It is estimated that almost 1 in 6 people in the U.S. ages 14 – 49 years old have a genital herpes infection.1 Despite the prevalence of this sexually transmitted infection, no effective vaccine has … Read the rest

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Science Staff: March 2017

It is estimated that almost 1 in 6 people in the U.S. ages 14 – 49 years old have a genital herpes infection.1 Despite the prevalence of this sexually transmitted infection, no effective vaccine has yet been developed, nor has a cure been found. Consistent and correct condom use only gives about 30% protection from spread, since the virus is passed by skin to skin contact.2 Several blood screening tests have been developed with the hope that early detection might help curb the spread of the infection.

In December 2016, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released an updated report regarding screening recommendations for genital herpes. After researching all available data on current screening blood tests, the USPSTF made this statement:

“Serologic screening (blood tests) for genital herpes is associated with a high rate of false-positive test results and potential psychosocial harms.3

The following recommendation was made:

“The USPSTF recommends against routine serologic screening for genital HSV infection in asymptomatic adolescents and adults, including those who are pregnant.”1

The findings of the USPSTF is consistent with the “Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015” by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which states that screening in the general population is not recommended. However, the CDC document does say that herpes blood tests should be considered for persons who come in for an STD evaluation particularly if they are at high risk with multiple sexual partners, are men having sex with men (MSM), or are HIV positive.4

There is an important difference between “screening” and “diagnostic” testing. For sexually transmitted infections, screening tests are performed on individuals who are considered at high risk for STIs, but who do not have symptoms. Diagnostic tests are performed on individuals who have signs and/or symptoms of a particular disease or condition. Sometimes the same method of testing is used for both screening and for diagnosis, but the difference lies in whether or not the patient is displaying signs and symptoms. With genital herpes, a culture of blisters or ulcerations is often performed and blood tests are also used for diagnosis.5

Genital herpes can be caused by either herpes simplex type 1 or type 2 viruses (HSV-1 or HSV-2). HSV-1 infections are commonly found in the mouth region, but they are becoming more prevalent in the genital area. HSV-2 is almost always found in the genital area. After being exposed to the virus, a person typically begins to experience symptoms in 4 -7 days; however symptoms sometimes do not occur until several weeks after the exposure. A person may experience headache, or flu-like symptoms, followed by a breakout of very painful blisters in the mouth or genital area that can last for a month to six weeks. Urination can be very painful and some patients need to urinate in a bath or be catheterized.5

When a genital herpes infection is passed from mother to child, it is usually during the birth process, as the baby travels through the birth canal. Pregnant women with a previous diagnosis of genital herpes have only about a 1% chance of spreading the infection to their baby. They should be checked for an active infection just prior to giving birth and offered a cesarean section if herpes lesions are present. A greater danger to the newborn comes when a woman becomes infected for the first time during late pregnancy, since the virus is present in greater numbers with initial exposure. Herpes infection in newborns can be life-threatening and all pregnant women should be educated about genital herpes infections.

Sexual risk avoidance remains the sole solution to preventing genital herpes infections. Medical Institute recommends limiting sexual behaviors to within a life-long monogamous relationship, such as marriage, with an uninfected partner as the best way to achieve optimal sexual health.

“Parents, Teen Emotions and Sexuality, Paving the Way for Healthy Sexual Relationships.” was the keynote I presented last Friday for the Gulf Coast Social Workers Conference held in Gulfport, MS. I am still … Read the rest

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President’s Corner

Dr. Freda Bush, February, 2017

“Parents, Teen Emotions and Sexuality, Paving the Way for Healthy Sexual Relationships.” was the keynote I presented last Friday for the Gulf Coast Social Workers Conference held in Gulfport, MS. I am still so excited as the conference was attended by over 500 social workers from six states. The information presented was to help today’s teens, called “i-gens,” be better understood and have healthy conversations with their parents who may be “Gen X or Gen Y (Millennials)”. An awareness of diversity in parent’s and their children’s attitudes was considered very helpful in the questions and interactions following the presentation. Also presented was information from the book, Hooked, New Science on How Casual Sex Is Affecting Our Children. Specifically, I spoke on how sex affects the brain and emotions particularly as the brain is maturing. It’s not considered mature until an individual reaches their mid-twenties. With the growth of the use of pornography among young people, this information is helping many professionals and parents understand pornography addiction and counter it. There were many who gave testimonials about the information from Hooked being helpful to them in their practice. Others then bought the books, Hooked and Girls Uncovered, for their practices and for their family members including for their sons or nephews.

All were given information on the MI free downloadable resources called, “Had the Talk.” Had the Talk is a resource for parents to help them talk with their children about sex. A request for specific resources for youth who identify as LGBT was made. My response was from a medical perspective that all youth have the same needs regardless– for love, acceptance, protection, guidance…etc. Sexual activity is still sexual activity and STI’s are equal opportunity infectors. Behavior must be modified to avoid the risks associated with sexual activity regardless of orientation. I am reminded of an old saying, “Protect your tomorrows today.”

MI is presenting our Building Family Connections Training (BFC) in Austin, Texas March 29-31 and in Natchez, MS April 24 – 26. Medical Institute is now an official continuing education sponsor for social workers in Texas, so Texas social workers completing the course will receive 18.75 CEUs. MI has also applied for social worker CEUs in Mississippi for the BFC training and we hope to have credits available by the April BFC in Natchez.

Again, my heart is filled with gratefulness for the opportunity to make this presentation. I extend my gratitude to Mr. Wallace Long, LCSW for the invitation to present at the Gulf Coast Social Workers Conference.

A copy of the slide presentation, “Parents, Teen Emotions and Sexuality, Paving the Way for Healthy Sexual Relationships,” can be found on our Blog on the MI website at www.medinstitute.org.